26 1.26 Ren Zexi's Wrath

Fifteen minutes ago. In the lounge.

Lu Yizhou could feel a headache coming. [Why is the protagonist here? How did he come in?] Where were the bodyguards he stationed in every corner of the mansion? Were they blind or was Jing Xuehao invisible?

666 sounded even more panicked than he was.

[666: That's right! The protagonist should have been downstairs, having his first destined meeting with the female lead! What is he doing here?! Wait a minute, 666 will check on the CCTV. Ah! Should 666 say that it's the world giving him a hand? It seems like there's a few problems downstairs and the bodyguards were called down. Ah Shen who was supposed to guard you suddenly had diarrhea so the hallway was completely empty...]

Jing Xuehao couldn't read Lu Yizhou's thoughts based on the latter's expressionless face. However, he could sense the annoyance and exasperation from his micro gesture and expression. He had always been good at reading people. If it was the usual Jing Xuehao, he would have already left the other person alone because it wasn't his style to persist on approaching someone who clearly didn't welcome him. However, this time was different. The person in front of him wasn't anyone ordinary. He was Lu Yizhou, the man whom Jing Xuehao—

"What do you want to talk about?" Lu Yizhou walked to the sofa, took off his outer jacket and threw it off to the side. Then, the man sat down and unclasped two uppermost buttons of his shirt, revealing his distinct neckline and prominent collarbone.

Jing Xuehao followed his every movement, his Adam's apple bobbed as he glimpsed upon the pale skin on Lu Yizhou's chest. The light didn't help either as it made his skin look particularly lustrous and fair.

"Well?" Lu Yizhou raised one of his brows. "You have five minutes. After that, scram."

Jing Xuehao snapped out of his stupor and discreetly pinched his thigh to sober himself up. Why did he always seem unable to gather his wits in Lu Yizhou's presence? He found himself raking in the sight of the man, drinking in his presence and enjoying the moment of being alone without being disturbed. He almost didn't want this to end. However…

Five minutes. He only had five minutes.

Jing Xuehao clenched his fists and spat out. "I know the true nature of your relationship with Ren Zexi."

Lu Yizhou's expression didn't change. That scrutinizing, measuring gaze that made Jing Xuehao felt like he was stripped naked, his truest thoughts laid bare for the man to feast upon. Heat crept up his face and he shoved his phone screen in front of Lu Yizhou's face. "D—Don't try to get out of this! I have evidence in my hands!"

This time, a frown appeared on Lu Yizhou's face and he clicked his tongue in irritation. This photo… He recalled the moment it was taken. In the infirmary of S High, when Ren Zexi suddenly pulled him down by neck to give him a kiss on the cheek. A sigh escaped his lips and he pressed on his temple. [How do you want to explain this?]

[666: Waaaah, Host, don't be angry! 666 swears that it really has no idea that the protagonist would take this kind of photo! Oh my God, look at that angle. You two really look indecent! It's no wonder he misunderstood it.]

[Shut it, you useless system.]

[666: QAQ 666 is sowwyyyy.]

Lu Yizhou raised his eyelids, his mind pondering. Instead of selling the photo to various news companies, Jing Xuehao chose to bid his time until now to confront him. He really shouldn't underestimate the world's protagonist. The universe really worked in his wonder. Now, he had a weakness over Lu Yizhou and he could blackmail him with it.

The misunderstanding wasn't urgent and could be solved later on. The most important thing Lu Yizhou had to do right now was to snatch the photo from Jing Xuehao's possession and get rid of it completely.

"So...what do you want? Money, status or power? Indeed, I can give you all of them. But are you ready for the consequences that follow?" Lu Yizhou deliberately exerted pressure and dominance as if the person who was standing in front of him was a mortal enemy who ought to be eliminated and not a greenhorn sixteen years old brat.

As expected, Jing Xuehao's face paled and the fingertips trembled ever so slightly. Lu Yizhou's aura was too powerful, too domineering for him to bear. It made Jing Xuehao breathless. "I—I don't want any of that." He took a step forward and inhaled deeply. "CEO Lu, if you give me the word, I can delete the photo completely and make sure that it will never see the light of the day. But if you don't…"

"Three minutes." Lu Yizhou cut in with a nonchalant tone.

Jing Xuehao's breath hitched on his throat. He took in huge gulps of air to calm his heartbeat down. He knew that he wouldn't be able to intimidate Lu Yizhou, not even with the photo in his hand. He just wanted something that could connect him with the man. Something that could give him an excuse to get close to him…

You can do this, Jing Xuehao! It's now or never!

"CEO Lu, please agree to my proposal."

Lu Yizhou raised a brow. "Oh?"

"Yes…" The next scene totally took Lu Yizhou off guard to the point where he froze in place. Peeking at the man bashfully, Jing Xuehao proceeded to take his clothes off, one by one, button by button. The fabric slid down his body, revealing his vigorous and slender figure. The pants pooled under his feet and he stepped out of it, stalking close to the wide-eyed Lu Yizhou and kneeled under his feet with an intoxicated look on his face. His breath came out shallow and his voice contained a sultry provocation he didn't know he could produce. "CEO Lu, instead of Ren Zexi, how about you take me instead…?"

[666: !!!]

[666: AAAAAH!!! MY SCREEN! 666 CAN'T SEE ANYTHING!! HELP!!!]

666's sharp screech snapped Lu Yizhou out of his stupor and he blinked in time to catch Jing Xuehao's hand that reached out for the zipper on his pants. An incredulous laugh escaped his lips, cold and ruthless. "Take you...instead?"

Jing Xuehao was too enamored with their close distance to realize the frosty aura Lu Yizhou exuded. With blush painting his cheek and hazy eyes, he bit his lips, body shivering at the first contact with Lu Yizhou. He clenched his thigh together, embarrassed at his own excitement that stood tall so easily. "Yes." He stared into Lu Yizhou's silvery eyes and rasped. "I'm sure. I can do better than Ren Zexi. What he can do, I can do as well. And what he cannot do, I will do it for you. CEO Lu… Lu Yizhou… You can take my everything for all you want— my body, my soul, my heart…"

He wanted this man, Jing Xuehao was sure of it. Since the first time he caught sight of Lu Yizhou, he couldn't get the man out of his mind. He was confused, agitated and nervous each time he saw him and he found himself envious of Ren Zexi who could be close to Lu Yizhou so easily.

Yes, more than Ren Zexi's grade or popularity, he envied the teenager for he had this kind of outstanding man by his side. Jing Xuehao...Jing Xuehao also yearned for that. He wanted Lu Yizhou so much to the point where he was willing to do anything to get him, even if he had to swallow his pride and disgrace himself like a wanton whore. Despite that, he didn't feel reluctant or mortified even a bit. Just a mere thought of Lu Yizhou touching him, taking him and playing him to his heart's content was enough to make him shiver in thrill and excitement.

He couldn't bear it anymore and leaned in for a kiss. However, before their lips could touch, Lu Yizhou suddenly grabbed his jaw roughly and gave a sardonic smile. Shivers ran down Jing Xuehao's spine at the sight. "You—"

Bang! "Uncle Lu!" The door slammed open, revealing Ren Zexi who was out of breath. Then, taking in the sight in front of him, his face paled in an instant. "...What are you two doing?"

Once again, Lu Yizhou cursed in his mind. [Why don't you tell me that he's coming?!]

[666: Uwaaah, Host!!! 666 is blind! 666 can't see anything!!]

Jing Xuehao jolted in shock and barely recovered his senses a moment later. Flustered, he hastily grabbed the closest shirt to cover his own nudity. However before he could dress himself properly, Ren Zexi had lunged forward with his face twisted furiously, his fist lifted high. "You bastard!!! How dare you—" A solid punch landed on Jing Xuehao's cheeks and he crashed back to the ground, clutching his own shirt tightly with his body curled up to protect his head as he bore the onslaught of Ren Zexi's exploding wrath. "I will kill you! I will definitely kill you!"

Lu Yizhou sat still in place and took out his phone to call the bodyguards in. Less than half a minute later, three men in black suits dashed in and under his order and separated Ren Zexi from Jing Xuehao. By then, Ren Zexi had already lost his cool and Jing Xuehao's face had been badly bruised with blood running down his nose.

He spat out blood and snarled. "We're just getting to the good part so why are you barging in as you pleased, huh?"

"You…!" Ren Zexi turned to Lu Yizhou for affirmation, his eyes desperate. "Uncle Lu, he—he's lying, right? You and him… you can't possibly like him!"

"Ha! Why can't he? He can even do it with—"

"Throw him out." Lu Yizhou stood up and gazed down at Jing Xuehao with a gaze so cold that it made his blood run cold. "I don't want to see him around me. Right now."

"Yes sir!"

Jing Xuehao's eyes bulged in panic as the men started to drag him out. "No! You can't do this to me! I still have the photograph—"

Lu Yizhou sneered and waved his hand. In that instant, Jing Xuehao's fate was already decided. Turning to Ren Zexi who stared at him with his eyes reddened, Lu Yizhou sighed and reached for the teenager's hand, gently inspecting his bloodied knuckles. "Why are you so reckless? See, you're hurt."

"How can I not?!" Ren Zexi felt like killing Jing Xuehao everytime he thought back on the scene. His eyes burned in fury and he gnashed his teeth. "I won't forgive him! How dare he do that to you?! Uncle Lu, you…" He scanned Lu Yizhou up and down anxiously. "Are you okay? Did he do something to you?"

Lu Yizhou shook his head. "What can he possibly do to me?"

Despite his words, Ren Zexi still took out an antibacterial wet wipe and used it to clean Lu Yizhou's fingers one by one — the place where he used to grab Jing Xuehao's jaw, grumbling all the way. "You shouldn't touch him so casually like that. What if you got infected by his germs?"

After that, he turned around and kicked the rest of Jing Xuehao's clothes that were still crumpled on the ground, repulsed. "We should burn these filthy things and sterilize this room. I don't want to see any traces of him here." Imagining Jing Xuehao's blatantly exposing his body and kneeling under Lu Yizhou's feet was enough to churn his stomach. Not only the room, he wanted to sterilize Lu Yizhou's eyes and memory too so that man could forget ever meeting Jing Xuehao.

Unforgivable. Ren Zexi wouldn't forgive him for as long as he lived!

Ren Zexi was so unreasonable that Lu Yizhou got the urge to laugh. He patted the teenager's head and gestured ahead. "Come on. There's a few problems we have to solve. It has been a bit too rowdy to my liking outside."